


It's Always Better When We're Together

by nonsensedarling



Series: Royal Brat AU [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (pot), Alternate Universe - Royalty, Drugs, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, M/M, Museums, Prince Harry Styles, Riding, Sappy, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:06:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25899406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonsensedarling/pseuds/nonsensedarling
Summary: They spend another few moments just looking at the soft light that’s shining through the glass at them. Probably feeling the same thing, situated in the beat of their hearts, about how frightfully wonderful it is to be in love.*The epilogue to Nothing But You On My Mind.Note: I'd very strongly recommend reading NBYOMM first, as this piece contains a number of spoilers, and some parts may not make sense without context of the main story.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: Royal Brat AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880719
Comments: 49
Kudos: 668





	It's Always Better When We're Together

**Author's Note:**

> The epilogue would not be what it is if it weren't for two people:  
> Bridget ([onlyforthebabes](https://onlyforthebabes.tumblr.com/)), who sent me the image of the thing that made me want to write this piece in the first place. Essentially, this epilogue is dedicated to her! Enjoy the sappiness and the gayness and the buses!  
> Jo ([dearlou](https://dearlou.tumblr.com/)), who was with me all the way from last-minute-sign-up for the Royalty Fest through brainstorming a summary before posting. Truly the best beta and my target audience of one (1) when I write. She also came up with the title for this (from the song Better Together by Jack Johnson)!
> 
> General Notes:  
> \- Just reiterating I know nothing about Royal Customs or Public Relations or Organizing Big Events, so apologies if anything is blatantly wrong.  
> \- This is very fluffy. Like, take how in love you thought these characters were at the end of NBYOMM and multiply it by how surprised/confused you were by the plot twist and that should give you an idea of how gay and fluffy this is.
> 
> Hope you like it! 💖

They’d booked the Science Museum for Gemma’s coronation anniversary party. Well, not the entire museum; Louis was next to Harry when they were told which parts of the building were off limits, but still, not a soul outside of their group was in the place. Which was nice, since the papers were rewriting stories from last year and all the attention around them was getting to be a bit much. The scandal of finding out Prince Harry Styles had slept with his PR manager and (subsequently) moved to Manchester to start a relationship with him. 

Louis rolls his eyes at the memory. _Moved to Manchester._ As if Harry wasn’t in London four days out of the week to work as advisor to Queen Gemma. As if Louis hadn’t put his flat up for sale just two days after Harry left the first time because he already couldn’t stand being apart. As if they weren’t back in the palace in less than a month.

He’s currently watching Harry schmooze some members of parliament next to a tall wooden structure in Energy Hall. He looks good in a purple checkered suit jacket, bell-bottomed trousers to match. But he always looks good, doesn’t he? It’s a more reserved outfit than he’s been going for lately, but Louis thinks it’s probably due to the fact that he wanted to wear something complementary to Louis rather than wanting to tone it down. As if he could tone it down. As if Louis would ever want him to. 

Louis’ wearing a grey-checkered suit in the same pattern with a tie that matches the exact shade of purple Harry’s wearing. Harry had called his tailor and ordered a custom suit based on what Louis had chosen practically the moment he decided. _The sap._

“Louis?” Liam asks, probably not for the first time by the way his eyebrows are raised and the small smirk on his face. 

“Hm?”

“I asked if you wanted another champagne? I think Harry’s going to give his speech soon.”

“Oh!” Louis says, and looks to his left, to the server with a tray full of flutes. “Yes, sorry, thank you.”

He grabs a glass and trades out his empty before turning to look at Harry again. When he does, Harry’s looking straight back with a wide smile on his face. He waves a little with just his fingers. Louis rolls his eyes but he waves back in the same way, trying to keep his own smile in check. 

Mitch interrupts their gross display of fondness by going over and whispering in Harry’s ear. Harry looks away to listen and then pulls back nodding at his friend. He looks to Louis, raises his eyebrows a couple of times before walking to the center of the room to where there’s a podium and a microphone. 

The sound clicks on, and there’s a bit of feedback, but it works out because it’s an easy way to get the room’s attention. They all turn towards him expectantly as Harry puts his champagne flute down on the podium but then stands to the right of it with the microphone.

“Hello,” he says, smiling and looking around. “I think it’s time I embarrass Gemma a bit. Where is our illustrious queen?”

A few meters to Louis’ right, Gemma is pushed forward a little, already shaking her head. It looks like she goes to cross her arms, but she changes and clasps her hands in front of her instead. Anne is just beside her, beaming between her two children. 

“Right, there you are,” Harry says, adjusting so he’s facing her straight on. “Well, to start, I’d like to thank you all for being here tonight, to celebrate a year of me being advisor to the queen. I’ve done a good job, haven’t I?” 

It gets some laughs, enough to break the ice and make Harry feel a little more comfortable. 

“It truly has been almost unbearably easy, if I’m honest, because Gemma is an absolutely amazing leader. She has been for most of our lives, especially when she was ten and I was eight, and she was telling me how to put on a proper tea party.”

He looks at Gemma and winks and she rolls her eyes fondly. 

“As if I don’t know what pastries best go with oolong, please.” He shakes his head and looks at Gemma. “I’m glad we’ve settled that I will handle the tea parties while you go off and run the country. It’s for the best.”

“There are a few people I’d like to thank tonight, but don’t worry Gemma, I’ll get to you at the end.” The room laughs. “Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to the Science Museum, for letting us take over for a little bit.” There is some light applause. “And I’d like to thank Chef Maria Arguinano and Chef Cedric Dupont for orchestrating such a wonderful meal for us tonight. Big round of applause for them, please.”

The room gets louder with clapping, and Louis can’t help but cheer and shout for his friends. A few people turn and look at Cedric with smiles. Cedric’s husband, Pierre, has his arm wrapped tightly around Cedric’s shoulders. They beam at each other and Louis beams at them. 

“I’d also like to thank our new head of PR, Adrienne Conner, for jumping into the role six months ago, and making sure we’re giving the most to our communities, including making this anniversary party pull double duty as a fundraising event. We even got the Community Outreach and Events Coordinator from Home and Hope with us today. I don’t know how she pulled it off!” Harry sends Louis a cheeky wink and Louis rolls his eyes exaggeratedly while everyone laughs politely. What a dork. 

Harry turns back to Gemma and looks a little less playful when he says, “And finally, to Gemma. Thank you for being an inspiration, not just to me but to millions of people in our country and across the world. You’ve accomplished a lot in your first year, but you’ve also set the foundation for other, bigger things that we need to tackle as a society. I’m so proud of you.”

Gemma and Harry share a brief, loving sibling moment, just looking at each other and smiling before each of them nods once. Harry turns to his right to grab his champagne flute and he raises it in the air. 

“Please, everyone, raise a glass to my sister, our strong, earnest, conscientious leader. Long live the queen,” Harry says.

_“Long live the queen!”_ the room echos. 

“Congratulations, Gemma. Cheers!” He takes a sip and the room follows suit. A round of applause bounds around the room as Harry sets down the microphone, and is immediately accosted by a swarm of people. 

Liam puts a hand on Louis’ shoulder as he watches and lets him know that he’s just got a text from his girlfriend, Sophia, and has to give her a quick call. Louis nods and just continues looking at Harry for a bit longer. 

“Careful, Lou,” he hears from his left, “you might blind all of us with that dopey smile.”

Louis rolls his eyes and turns to look at Zayn, still smiling. His shirt’s a little skewed, which is quite noticeable since he’s not wearing a jacket.

“What happened here?” Louis asks, gesturing to his entire body. “You sneak off and make out with one of the cocktail servers?”

“Nah, heading to do that now,” Zayn says, laughing and tugging at his shirt to straighten himself up. “Just wanted to come over and say hello and goodbye in case I don’t see you later.”

Louis nods. Over the last year, Louis’ learned that Zayn, while lovely, personable and a great drinking buddy, tells you exactly what he wants to tell you and can’t be pressured otherwise. 

Just as he’s about to try his luck anyway, he feels arms loop around his waist and a kiss against his cheek.

Louis brings a hand up to tap twice at the side of Harry’s face. “You escaped rather quickly.”

Harry hugs him tighter and kisses his cheek again. “Told the lot of them there’s not a single person in this room I’d rather talk to than my boyfriend.”

Louis fake-gasps. “So there’s someone _outside_ of this room you’d rather talk to?”

Zayn laughs and crosses his arms in front of his chest. Harry shushes him.

“Only one.”

“Ah, well, if it’s just Stevie Nicks, then I’ll forgive you.”

Zayn shakes his head. “You two are weird, you know that?”

He knows, and it’s brilliant. Louis grins and tilts his head up and to the side to give Harry a proper kiss.

But suddenly, Mitch is at their sides and saying, “Hope I’m not interrupting.”

“You are, and thank you,” Zayn says. 

“Well then, glad I’m interrupting.” He looks at Harry and says, “Queen Anne is looking for you.”

Harry gives an exasperated sigh. “She must want to scold me for making too many jokes.”

“Or maybe she wants to compliment you on your speech,” Louis offers. 

Harry snorts at that and gives Louis a final, rougher kiss on the cheek before he sighs again and untangles himself to go talk with his mum. 

“Mitchell.” Louis nods at him. 

“Lewis,” Mitch says and nods back.

Zayn shakes his head and says again, “You both are weird, too.”

They ignore him. 

“All set for the trip up to Manchester next week?” Mitch asks.

Louis smiles and looks around them a bit. He could really use another drink, if he’s honest. There’s another two hours left of this party, and he’s sure Harry will be pulled in a dozen different directions for the rest of it. The only way to combat boredom is drinking with friends. 

“Yep. Niall’s given us the heads up that he plans on getting us both absolutely plastered at the after-party. Says he wants to relive our flatmate days.”

“Yeah?” Zayn asks. “Alcohol poisoning a tradition of your flatmate days?”

“Not necessarily, but doing three shots of Fireball whenever an Usher song came on was. And Niall always puts on an Usher song through the jukebox when he’s in the mood for that.”

Mitch laughs. “I’d love to see Harry do that.”

Louis shakes his head mournfully. “I’ve told him no one can keep up with Niall, but he won’t believe me. On the plus side, I might finally get to see His Highness with a hangover.”

“Doubtful,” Zayn says. He gestures to Mitch as he says, “We’ve both been drinking with him for years and never seen it.”

“Lucky motherfucker,” Louis says under his breath. 

“Speaking of drinks,” Mitch says. “I’m going to get myself another one.”

“I’ll come with you,” Zayn says, “I’ve been flirting with the bartender with the dragonfly barrette and I think it’s time to really lay it on thick.”

Louis’ about to agree, and join them (it’s almost like a work of art to watch Zayn out on the pull) when Cedric and his husband, Pierre, arrive at his side. Louis waves Mitch and Zayn on, saying he’ll catch up with them later. 

“Yeah right,” Zayn says sarcastically, somewhat nonsensically, but he lets it go because Cedric is handing Louis a drink (bless him) and kissing both of his cheeks.

“ _Mon soliel_! You look radiant.”

“So do you!” Louis says, admiring his well-fitted black suit. “And you, Pierre, absolutely gorgeous,” he adds sincerely, his dark features looking truly stunning against a midnight-blue suit. 

“Please,” Pierre says with a wave of his hand. “Do not tell me I look stunning when you look perfection.”

Louis shakes his head but smiles at the compliment. “You both are much too sweet to me.”

“Just sweet enough,” Cedric says. “We are a perfect dessert.”

“Absolutely you are,” Louis agrees. 

“How is the work?” Pierre asks. 

Louis takes a sip and nods. “Yeah, it’s good. Really good.”

“Community Outreach and Events Coordinator,” Cedric recites. “A mouthful, that title.”

“It is. It’s a newer role. Home and Hope wasn’t used to doing bigger fundraising events, so when I took it over from the woman who retired, Eileen Doyle, I suggested adding that bit to the responsibilities.” 

“Fitting for you, adding in extra work for yourself.”

Louis laughs and nods. “I do tend to do that. All for a good cause.”

“Indeed,” Cedric says, beaming at him. 

They talk a little bit about what the plans are for the summer. Cedric and Pierre always spend a few weeks outside of Paris visiting their families and traveling somewhere new. 

“We are thinking of Morocco this year,” Pierre says.

“They speak French, which Pierre adores—” Pierre kisses him and pinches his bum in the same moment, which causes Cedric to gasp and push playfully at his chest. “—and,” he presses on. “ _Mon nounours_ gave us some wonderful recommendations of what to see.”

“We are looking forward to it,” Pierre says, leaning down to kiss Cedric’s cheek softly. They stare at each other for a few moments, and Louis looks on at them, endeared as he always is. He finds himself, again, incredibly thankful to have such a wonderful romantic relationship as an example in his life. And to have a friend as loving as Cedric. 

When they look away from each other, Cedric’s eyes light up. _“Mon nounours!”_ Cedric exclaims, throwing his arms out a little to the side in welcome. “We were just talking of you.”

Louis looks over as Harry settles just beside them. 

“Excuse me, Cedric, Pierre, can I steal him away?”

“Of course,” Cedric says, and then he winks at Louis. “Don’t have too much fun, or you will not want to come back to the party.”

“Ah, they won’t miss us,” Harry says. 

Louis rolls his eyes. “Do you know who you are?”

Harry squeezes Louis’ hip and leans in to whisper in his ear, “M’Harry,” he says. A shiver runs through Louis’ body. “And you’re Louis.”

_“Merde,”_ Pierre says to Cedric with a laugh. _“Ils devraient partir avant qu'il ne fasse trop chaud ici.”_

“Go!” Cedric says, laughing as well, “or Pierre will leave me for you both!”

Harry immediately grabs Louis’ hand and pulls him along until they turn around a corner. Once they’re out of sight, Harry’s hand untangles itself and slips along his lower back to grip Louis’ bum. 

“Harry!” Louis giggle-whispers. “We’re in public!”

“I don’t see anyone else around, do you?” He gives one cheek a little squeeze, which causes Louis to yelp. “Besides, everyone’s supposed to stay in the main hall and you remember what Rebecca said. _No one is allowed in any other part of the museum_.”

“So where are we going then?”

“To another part of the museum,” Harry says simply. 

Louis shakes his head. “You always were a rule breaker.”

“I’d break all the rules for you.”

“Never asked you to.”

Harry stops then and turns to him, hands traveling up from his backside to his waist. “Aren’t you glad, though, Darling?”

Louis feels his own eyes crinkle as he looks up into those sparkling green eyes. “That I am, Love.”

Harry leans down to give him a soft kiss, which he tilts his head for easily. After a few moments, Louis pulls away. “Is there a loo around?”

Harry smiles cheekily, “V’got one in my arms right now.”

He rolls his eyes again. “Shut up or I’ll change my mind about blowing you in the toilets.”

Harry groans. “I want that, I really, really do, but I actually have something I want to show you.”

“Fine, but that was my one and only offer, so I will not be blowing you tonight.”

“Oh, you say that now,” Harry says, “but when I show you what I’m about to show you, I think you’ll be singing a different tune.”

“Alright then, Dimples, lead the way.” 

Harry grabs Louis’ hand again and they make their way down a few corridors. It’s dark and quiet this far away from the party and the lights haven’t been shut off completely, but they’ve been dimmed quite a bit, just enough to guide the way. 

They come upon a very technical-looking exhibit. Louis sees a sign that says _TOMORROW’S WORLD_ in bold capital letters. 

“You going to show me the future?” Louis asks. 

Harry keeps pulling him along but looks over his shoulder to grin at him. “Future mixed with the past,” he answers cryptically. 

“Alright, keep your secrets,” Louis says as they weave through different pieces around the room.

Harry slows and stops under a sign saying _DRIVERLESS._ A few different types of cars are stationed in front of them. One of them, to the left, looks like a sleek, more high-tech version of a 40s automobile. It’s black and shines brightly even in the dim lighting. One of them is higher up on a platform. It’s white and black and red and looks like something Batman would drive if he wanted to lay down while doing it. 

The closest one is stunning. It’s a compact little thing, made up of four wheels, a base, and hundreds —maybe thousands— of little stained glass triangles. 

“Wow,” Louis says. 

“Yeah,” Harry says, nodding. “I saw it in the pamphlet when we were booking and thought you might like it. I remember how much you liked the stained glass in the churches we saw in Italy a few months ago.” 

Louis feels himself go to mush on the inside as he turns and smiles at his boyfriend. 

His boyfriend. He smiles a little wider and turns back to look at the car before Harry can catch him doing it. 

Suddenly, Harry lets go of Louis’ hand and steps over the low wire specifically designed to keep you from getting too close to the exhibit. Harry takes a step forward before turning back to Louis with a cheeky grin on his face. 

“Harry! What are you doing?” Louis whisper-yells at him. 

“Breaking some more rules,” Harry says easily and with a shrug. He turns back and squats down. Louis looks over his shoulder and around the room for other people or cameras or something. 

“C’mon stop messing about, there’s gotta be a camera in here somewhere. We’ll get in trouble! Then you’ll owe like a million pound fine!”

“I’ve got the money, Darling, I’m not worried.”

“That’s not your money, it’s taxpayer money!”

“Taxpay—?” he starts to say, offended, and then he cuts himself off. “I’ve got plenty of money from my modeling days, thank you very much.”

“Hey, that money is for the Italian villa you promised to buy me.”

“Ah yes,” Harry says, grinning. “Let’s not get caught then, hm?”

A clicking sound echoes around them and then Harry’s carefully guiding the stained glass top up while a little mechanical device pushes and holds the weight of it. 

“Have we learned nothing from the disaster with the _Fonseca Bust_?”

“We learned. Learned that being yelled at in Italian is scarier than being yelled at in English. And that… what was it you said?” he turns to look at Louis, stern expression set on his face as he raises the pitch in his voice in what Louis assumes is supposed to be an impression of him. “ _We look at art with our eyes, not our hands!_ ”

It’s a horrible impression. Louis’ tempted to laugh anyway. 

“ _Seriously_ , Harry.”

“Seriously, Lou,” Harry says, once the device has stopped and the glass is up and tilted back with enough room for someone to climb in through the front. Louis can see there’s a white pillow and soft-looking duvet laid out inside. Louis wonders if that was already there or if Harry arranged for that, too. “I double checked where the cameras were and got Zayn to come in earlier and make sure none were facing this part of the exhibit.”

Louis’ jaw drops. “He _what?”_

Harry shrugs again. “He’s used to climbing things for his street art and said it wasn’t a problem.” 

“And what did you tell him you needed the cameras facing away from this part of the exhibit for?”

“I didn’t,” Harry says. “He didn’t even ask. Zayn likes a bit of adventure.”

Louis shakes his head and sighs. 

“Now, come on,” Harry says, nodding his head towards the car. “I’ve brought a blunt. Thought we could try hotboxing this thing.”

Louis bursts out in laughter before slapping a hand across his mouth to keep the sound in. “You want to smoke up in a museum? Inside a car that probably costs more than everything I’ve ever owned in my life? On the night of your sister’s coronation anniversary party?”

“Yes,” Harry answers. 

Louis pauses to think it over. It’s a PR nightmare if they’re caught. But he’s not actually in PR anymore, and Harry (and Zayn) did go to all this trouble… 

He sighs and looks up to the ceiling. “How did I fall in love with such a bad boy?” he asks no one. 

“Aha!” Harry cheers in celebration. He gestures again for Louis to step up and go inside. 

Louis steps over the little wire and onto the platform. “Tiny. Not even sure my arse will fit in this thing,” he mumbles to himself. Harry hears him and snorts. 

He then ducks down so he can crawl into the car. Louis feels a hand on his bum gently pushing him forward. 

“Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Just helping you along, Darling.”

It takes another minute before both of them are inside. Harry instructs Louis to lay down while he looks along the edge on the right side, making a triumphant noise when he finds what he’s looking for. The clicking sound of a button, and then the mechanical whirl starts up again as the stained glass top comes down slowly around them. 

“Will we be able to breathe?” Louis asks, only half joking.

“Mhm,” Harry says, laying down to the right of him. “There’s a very thin space where the top meets the bottom of the car where air gets in naturally. I think when the car is actually on, that gap goes away and there’s some sort of air filtration system. The report I read on it explained it, but I forget.”

They’re quiet for a moment as they both look up at the colorful glass encapsulating them. Louis adjusts his body so he can rest his head on Harry’s shoulder, his left hand on Harry’s chest. 

“Wow,” Louis says again. “Makes me feel like I’m inside a painting." 

Harry hums in agreement and places his hand over Louis’, slowly stroking the skin there with his thumb. He turns his head to the left and places a soft kiss on Louis’ forehead. 

“D’you like it?” Harry asks.

Louis smiles up at the roof. At the orange and green and blue reflecting softly back at them. Louis snuggles a little closer to Harry and nods. “Yeah, I do. Think we can request this as our ride up to Manchester next weekend?” 

Harry laughs and squeezes Louis closer into a hug. “If it’s what you want, I’ll make it happen.”

“Ha, not sure you even have that power, Love.” Louis looks up, watches the light and shadows dance along the glass. “Changed my mind, anyway. Think I’d like to keep this just for us.”

They just lay there for a couple of minutes, wordlessly admiring the quiet after being surrounded by noise for so many hours. 

“I love you a lot, you know?” Harry says. Louis might be imagining it, but he thinks he hears a small catch in Harry’s voice. It causes a lump in Louis’ own throat as he nods. 

“I love you a lot, too,” Louis answers. “Um…” And then he takes a deep breath to gear himself up to say other things, something he’s been working on since Harry had to confess Louis’ love for him. 

“I’ve learned so much from you this last year,” he says. “Things about you... but also things about the way you understand me. And it’s… it’s just…” Louis clears his throat. “It’s just all been so good and I’m a little scared of how good it is. Scared that I might ruin this.” 

Harry continues to rub his thumb across the back of Louis’ hand. He turns and places another kiss on his head. “Thank you,” he says, because he knows it’s hard for Louis to talk about this sometimes. A lot of the time. Almost all the time. 

“It’s scary for me, too, if it helps,” Harry continues. “How much I love you. The responsibility of that. But it’s mostly just exciting, that I get to have you the way I’ve wanted to have you, and comforting that you have me just the same.” 

Louis nuzzles into Harry’s chest and places a soft kiss on his suit jacket there. “Yeah,” Louis says. “I feel the same way.”

They spend another few moments just looking at the soft light that’s shining through the glass at them. Probably feeling the same thing situated in the beat of their hearts, about how frightfully wonderful it is to be in love. 

“Enough of this lovey-dovey nonsense,” Harry eventually says, but also giving Louis another forehead kiss. Louis feels his eyes crinkle as he smiles. “How about we take a hit, yeah? See what some smoke does to this thing.”

“Harry,” Louis says on a sigh, “if we smoke in here, they’re absolutely going to know someone broke in, which is going to cause them to look for video surveillance, which will lead them to finding us walking this way or something, and we’re going to get into trouble.”

“Ask for forgiveness, not permission,” Harry says solemnly, pulling a little bag out of the inside pocket of his jacket containing one neatly rolled blunt. 

“There’s no way you rolled that,” Louis says, distracted from his point. 

Harry removes it from the bag and pulls a lighter out of another pocket. “No, Zayn did. He took it away from me after my fourth try.”

Louis hums. “Turning the cameras away, rolling blunts… maybe I should be dating Zayn instead, hm?”

Harry makes a rude noise, but there’s also some ridgedness in his shoulders, so Louis is quick to sooth it down. 

“Of course, he wouldn’t know the first thing about how to make me a proper cup of tea, or why my job is so important to me, or how to calm me down when I feel too in my own head. A shame no one in the world could love me better than you.” He sighs. “If only you didn’t provide all the important things I need.”

Harry makes another rude noise, but his body settles a little. Louis smiles into his side; Harry’s not the only one who learned how to spot someone’s tells. 

Harry passes the blunt to Louis and lights it up for him to take the first hit. He takes a small puff and passes it back, where Harry takes a giant pull of it, holds it in, and then lets the smoke out through his nose, looking a cross between a frog and a dragon. 

Louis laughs at him. “Easy there, Love, you always forget how pot affects you.”

Harry adjusts himself so he can wrap his left arm around Louis and pull him into his side a bit more. “Yeah? How’s it affect me?”

“Well, you get uncontrollably giggly and start talking really loud. Sometimes you get so hungry you abandon me mid-conversation to get a snack—”

“You say that like I don’t bring enough back for two.”

Harry passes the blunt back to Louis, who takes it, but just holds it between his fingers for a moment. 

“Only because your eyes are bigger than your stomach when you’re high,” Louis counters. “On top of that, you get incredibly handsy. Even more-so than you usually are.” 

“Hmm,” Harry hums, bringing his right hand over to grab the back of Louis’ thigh and pull it up, so Louis’ got his left leg resting on top of Harry’s lap. Once they’re settled, Harry doesn’t remove his hand. “How can I be expected to keep my hands away from you when you look like that?”

“Look like what?”

“Like _that,”_ he says emphatically, but doesn’t really elaborate other than tacking on, “like _you.”_

Louis sighs contentedly, watching the smoke waft around them. He can already feel the fuzziness float through his brain like early morning mist. 

“Can hardly keep me hands off you either,” Louis says. A delayed response. 

“Mmm,” Harry hums again. Then he giggles as he says, “Prove it.”

Louis smirks at Harry before rolling on top of him fully, straddling him. Harry looks up with an insanely fond smile on his face, hands resting on the sides of Louis’ thighs. 

Louis takes another hit and then leans forward to shotgun the smoke into Harry’s waiting mouth. It ends in a small kiss, which turns into a bigger kiss, which turns into a snog and almost lighting the blanket underneath them on fire from the blunt. 

“Fuck,” Louis murmurs, pulling it back as he sweeps his hand against the white duvet to try and cool the embers. Harry takes the blunt from him then and snubs it out against the lighter and puts both things back in the little bag and back inside his jacket pocket. 

Louis watches quietly and when he’s done, he threads his hands through Harry’s hair. He cut it shorter a few months back. Louis misses his longer locks, but has to admit he looks quite dashing with it just over his ears. 

One of Harry’s hands slides up to grip onto his bum and the other moves to the center of his back to bring him down so their chests are touching. It has the glorious consequence of making Louis’ arch his arse into the air and Harry moans as he palms at it over his trousers. 

With his legs on either side of Harry’s hips, Louis has no trouble grinding down to create friction between them. Pleasure sparks from his groin outwards, and causes him to gasp, which then turns into a long, drawn out moan as Harry pulls Louis’ bum down so they’re well and truly dry humping now.

“Not here, Harold,” Louis moans again into his mouth, and then grinds a little faster. 

“Giving me mixed signals, Darling.”

“Well, if you took your hands off me bum, I might be able to concentrate better.”

Harry’s hands flex against him, then and grip him harder, spreading his cheeks a little through the material of his trousers. Louis tips his head back on another groan and pushes back into those hands before doing a body-roll on top of his boyfriend.

“I think your concentration is fine,” Harry says. 

Louis laughs and does his best to stop humping. “I’m not having sex with you in a stained glass car. One high-pitched moan from you and the whole thing shatters.”

“Who said it’d be me? You’re the loud one.”

“‘Cause you can never keep quiet when I’m riding you.”

It seems the mere thought is enough to prove that true, as Harry whines and pulls Louis’ bum back against him rhythmically again. “Fuck, please.”

Louis moans and pushes his hands against Harry’s chest to try and give himself some distance, but in doing so, it causes his back to arch more and pushes their crotches together firmly, eliciting an obscene sound from Harry.

“Just a little bit, now,” Harry babbles. “Just a little.”

“What is riding you _just a little?”_

“Just a little,” Harry agrees. He brings one of those massive hands up to grip at the back of Louis’ head in order to pull him into an extremely dirty snog, messy with lips and tongue and teeth, both moaning so intensely the car is shaking. Or… that might be because of the humping. Louis can’t really tell when he’s being bombarded with pleasure from all around, the smoke feeling like a buffer between them and the outside world. 

Suddenly, there’s a buzzing underneath Louis’ hips; Harry’s mobile vibrating in his pocket. 

Harry groans and whines as he pulls away from their kiss. “I really don’t like how often this happens to us.” 

Louis laughs and some of the heat pooling in his groin cools off. It’s enough for Louis to clear his head a bit, rolling off of Harry so he’s on his back, looking up at the stained glass again as Harry pulls out his mobile to read the text. 

“It’s Mitch, saying the party is dying down. Security is probably going to start their sweep of the museum soon.” He brings the mobile down to his chest and sighs forlornly. “Whomp, whomp.”

Louis huffs and slaps at Harry’s abdomen playfully. “Wasn’t gonna fuck you in here anyway.”

Harry laughs then, a big belly laugh. Louis tries to ask why, but he starts laughing too. 

Eventually, Harry turns to Louis with laughing-tears in his eyes as he says, “We’re gonna smell like weed now. Everyone’s gonna know.”

“Who’s fault is that, Harold?”

Harry doesn’t say anything, just turns on his side and starts trying to palm all over Louis’ backside and kiss him again. 

“Alright, you monster, let’s get out of here.” 

“Love you,” Harry mumbles into Louis’ jaw. 

And it takes them another five minutes to get up and leave the car, too busy touching each other and being in love to remember their urgency. They do, eventually, make it back to the party (after straightening the duvet inside and making it as tidy as they can). Louis makes a mental note to call the museum tomorrow and make another donation on behalf of the palace. And probably to remove them from the list of possible sponsors for Home and Hope after they realize why a donation was made the day after the party. Oh well. 

Harry goes back to schmoozing, talking louder this time, and Louis can’t contribute to any conversations as he stands next to him and stares, smiling fondly at his goofy boyfriend. No one says anything about the weed smell, but Gemma does give both of them an unimpressed look. Anne doesn’t seem to pay them any mind at all, only shakes her head ruefully when Harry spills a bit of champagne on himself when he’s saying goodbye to the last of the guests. 

On the car ride back to the palace, Harry falls asleep against Louis’ shoulder, and Louis plays with his hair as he snores softly. He smiles to himself, thinking for the millionth time how lucky he feels to have this. To have someone as amazing as Harry love him so forcefully, so completely. 

Louis nudges Harry awake when they get back to the palace and Harry can barely open his eyes enough to get out of the car. They make it up the stairs to their bedroom, although it takes more than twice as long to get there. 

When they first moved back, Harry had insisted that they start fresh in a room that they both designed and put together. Conveniently enough, there was a room that used to belong to a duchess about a hundred years ago, fitted with a large walk-in closet (surprisingly already big enough to hold all of their clothes) and a luxurious en suite (that took the longest to update with proper plumbing and a more modern design). 

Once they get in the room, Louis guides him into the bathroom and has Harry lean against the double sink for support while starting to help him out of his suit. 

“You gonna ride me now?” Harry asks, mid-yawn.

Louis does his best not to laugh at him. “Maybe in the morning, Love.”

Harry just nods and smacks his lips. “Will you brush my teeth for me?” he asks.

“Of course.”

“Will you get me a glass of water?”

“Yes, here it is.”

“Lou, do you love me?”

“More than anything.”

Harry’s smiling as he pulls the duvet over them and reaches out for Louis, but falls asleep just as his fingertips brush against Louis’ shoulder. Louis situates them, moving Harry’s arm under his neck and tucking himself against his side. He’s not sure how, but Louis falls asleep even more content than he did the night before.

In the morning, Louis wakes up to a thumb stroking softly along his cheekbone. He groans but keeps his eyes shut. 

“Good morning,” Harry whispers.

“S’ not.”

“It is. Every morning I wake up next to you is a good one. A great one, even.”

“I hate that you don’t get hangovers,” Louis says, turning his head slightly to the side, into the pillow and Harry’s arm. 

“Love looking at you. So gorgeous.”

“I’m sleeping.”

“You’re gorgeous when you’re sleeping. Most perfect bone structure I’ve ever seen.”

“My bone structure is sleeping.”

Harry laughs and kisses Louis’ forehead and over his eyelids and his nose and all over his face until they’re both in fits of giggles. Louis still hasn’t opened his eyes, but he reaches out for a cheeky morning snog, and Harry guides them there. 

They kiss softly and lazily with the covers pooled around them, taking turns pushing and pulling and savouring each other like this. 

“Hey,” Louis says into Harry’s mouth, opening his eyes just a little bit. “How about we go shower and have some fun?”

Harry says yes in the form of pulling Louis on top of him, sitting up and carrying him into the en suite. They laugh and kiss the whole way there, with Harry’s hands holding onto Louis’ thighs and Louis’ arms locked tightly around his neck. 

They wash themselves and each other, getting soap and fingers in all the good places, gliding over curves and muscle and so much tantalizing skin, before pulling themselves out of the shower and dripping all over the floor as they resume kissing and walking back towards bed, half-heartedly drying themselves with the same towel between them along the way. 

“Want me to?” Louis says as they reach the bed. 

“Want whatever you want,” Harry says, placing the softest kiss against Louis’ lips. 

Louis pushes Harry so he’s laying on his back in the center of their bed and moves to straddle him, their half-hard cocks pulsing against each other. 

“How about if I wanna ride you?” Louis says, rocking forward. “What if I want to ride you until you come, and then fuck you until you come again?” Harry’s hands grip at Louis’ hips and he humps upward. “How ‘bout it, Love? Will you let me give you two? Two before the day’s even begun?”

“Yeah, Lou.”

Louis leans down and kisses him, hard and a little rough before making it soft and sweet. He pulls back so he’s sitting up again, straddling his boyfriend, tracing his palms and fingertips all along his skin. Harry lets him, just watches Louis’ face as Louis looks at Harry’s body. Their eyes meet and they smile at each other, saying all the things they don’t know how to say with their words. 

Louis used to be good with his words, before Harry. Or, well, he supposes he’s still good with his words, just with anyone else but Harry. 

Leaning over to his bedside locker, Louis pulls out a bottle of lube but hesitates at the box beside them.

“Want condoms?” Louis asks. They’re both clean, having got tested together in Manchester only a few days after Harry came to him, but sometimes it’s just easier not having to bother with the aftermath.

“If you do,” Harry says easily, watching the path his left hand is taking up Louis’ abdomen and chest. 

“Yeah?”

“Of course.”

Louis looks at them and then grabs a few. “Only because of the cleanup.”

Harry nods and watches his palm slide back down and trace over Louis’ cock. “Fucking love your body,” he murmurs. 

“Love yours,” Louis responds easily. He swats Harry’s hand away, and uses his own to start slowly wanking Harry’s cock. Harry bites his lip and his hands grip along Louis’ thighs, maybe hard enough to bruise, definitely hard enough to feel after.

When he’s good and hard, Louis grabs a condom and rips it open. He can do it with his teeth, but he tries to only pull that out for special occasions, or when Harry’s not looking so wrecked, like he is now. He rolls it on efficiently, while popping open the cap on the lube and drizzling it over Harry’s cock. 

“You ready for me?” Louis asks, smearing the gel all over the condom-covered cock, rubbing the excess around his own entrance. “Hold it for me, Haz.”

Harry moves a hand to hold his cock up and Louis guides it, rock hard and throbbing, to tease at his rim for a few seconds before starting to sink down. They hold eye contact, but it seems like a full-on task for Harry, who looks like his eyes are about to roll back into his head. 

“Feel so good,” Harry says as Louis works him inside. Louis does a few rolls of his hips to ease the glide, placing his hands down on Harry’s abs for balance as he moves. “Oh fuck.”

They start slow, moving with each other, listening to their ragged breaths and quiet bed squeaks and looking at each other all the while. Morning sex is so soft between them, more connection than anything else.

Harry’s hands trace up and down Louis’ body, trying to sneak up to his cock more than once before being batted away, because Louis doesn’t like to touch his cock until he’s really worked for it. That and he won’t be able to keep it up if Harry pays it too much attention. 

He picks up speed and starts bouncing faster and a little harder, feeling the stretch and pull of his thigh muscles. A moan seems to overtake Harry’s whole body with the change and he cries out, fingertips digging into the flesh at Louis’ waist with one hand and his thigh with the other, throwing his head back into the pillow like he can’t control anything about his body. 

“Yeah, Haz,” Louis says, clenching around Harry inside of him, which causes more groans from him. “Good?”

Harry nods, which is more like thrashing his head about. “Fuck, Lou. You’re amazing, so fucking amazing.”

Louis smiles and takes his hands away from Harry’s abs so he can lean back, placing them just above Harry’s knees as he does so. It changes the angle for both of them, but it must do absolute wonders for Harry who makes a choking noise before letting out a deep, guttural groan. 

“Close?” Louis asks, out of breath as he grinds down, back and forth, feeling Harry so deep and so hard inside of him. He can feel himself start to get even more aroused, leaking on their bellies as he moves. 

“God,” Harry says, nearly sobs. “How do you —fuck— how do you —ah!— do that?”

“Do what?” Louis pants out.

“Make me feel sooooo, _oh._ So fucking good,” Harry says. 

Louis smiles and tips his head back to look at the ceiling, silently thanking himself for all the working out he does, both in and out of the bedroom. 

“Helps that we’ve been,” Louis says and then accidentally pushes a little too hard, pulls Harry in a little too deep so he’s pressed so tightly against his prostate, and he gets choked up by how good it feels. He can’t come yet, so he pulls back a little, but moves faster to make up for it. “That we’ve been practicing so much.”

Harry lets out a big laugh and strokes a hand up and down Louis’ thigh. “C’mon,” he says, moving his hands up to tug at Louis’ waist, trying to get him to lean forward. Louis slows his hips and obliges, goes even further and bends himself forward, forearms on either side of his head, making piercing eye-contact as he starts to roll his hips again, and Harry moans so loud, Louis wouldn’t be surprised if someone heard them outside the room. 

“You’re so _loud,”_ Louis says, and it’s meant to be teasing, but it comes out in a low moan. Because truthfully, it’s one of the hottest things ever, to have Harry moaning like that for him, getting so worked up and overwhelmed he can’t control his volume. 

“You like it,” Harry says, thumbing over Louis’ nipples, making him gasp. Louis punishes him by moving faster and clenching around his hard length. He can feel lube and sweat running down the inside of his thighs, and that’s hot too. Hot enough to make Louis moan again and feel his cock leak more. 

“Close, Lou,” Harry gasps, “so fucking close.”

Good, Louis thinks, so is he, and he needs a break if he’s going to fuck Harry, as well. 

“Yeah,” Louis breathes out and then he crashes their mouths together like he knows Harry loves. 

Harry opens his mouth to stick his tongue down Louis’ throat, but instead he lets out a choked out sob, crying out as he comes. 

Louis slows his pace, working him through it, and keeps snogging his boyfriend, smiling even though he’s all worked up and sweaty and nearly unbearably hard. 

It takes half a minute for Harry to come back to him, but when he does, he throws his arms around Louis and hugs him to his chest. Louis’ dick is pressed right up between their bellies in a maddening bit of pressure and limited friction. Louis pushes himself up and makes sure the condom doesn’t slide up before rolling off of Harry.

“Have I told you how much I love you?” Harry says, looking down as he removes the rubber.

Louis smiles and nods. He watches Harry tie up the end and chuck it in the bin beside the bed. “Only constantly.”

Harry rolls his head to the side, giving him a little smirk. “Mmm, good. I love you.” 

Louis laughs and looks up at the ceiling. “I love you too.” He sighs, happier than anything, even if his cock is begging him to just jerk himself off to the sound of Harry coming down from his high. 

Maybe he should just come. They can nap and go for round two in a couple of hours. There’s nothing on the agenda today.

But then, suddenly, Harry is rolling over on top of Louis before pulling himself up to hover over him on hands and knees. 

“What’re you doing?” Louis asks, only vaguely curious, a bit too preoccupied with thoughts of his cock. 

“M’gonna ride _you_ now.”

Louis laughs again and looks up at his boyfriend, who’s looking cheekier than ever as he moves to touch Louis between his legs. 

Louis slaps his hand away and Harry pouts but keeps his hand hovering in that general area. “If you start touching me,” Louis warns, “I’m gonna come before I can get inside you. Need a chance to cool down.”

Harry smirks lazily then and keeps looking at Louis’ face. He winces and lets out a shaky breath, so Louis looks down and watches Harry wank off above him, leaning his weight on the other hand beside Louis’ head.

“This isn’t gonna help me cool down, you know,” Louis says. Harry just continues to look at Louis and touch himself.

Louis brings his hands up so he can move them over Harry’s bulging biceps and hard pecs and delicious crunching abs. After a minute, when he’s not so close to the edge, Louis looks down between them and whispers, “You wanking for me?”

“Yeah,” Harry breathes out. His cock is almost fully hard again, and Louis thanks the universe for Harry’s stamina and recovery time. 

“Working yourself up?” Louis asks. 

“Yeah.”

“Gonna use me to get yourself off again?”

Harry moans and Louis looks up to his face, watching Harry watch him. “Lou,” he whines. 

“Yeah, Love,” he says, searching to his left and scrambling for the lube and the other condom. 

“Lou,” Harry whines again, and Louis tries to work faster before Harry says, “Lou, I— I want it. And we’re going to have to shower again anyway. Please.”

Louis looks up and then looks over at the condom again. “You sure?”

Harry nods frantically, fist speeding up between his legs.

Louis licks his lips as he drops the condom, opening the lube to pour a generous amount on himself, instead. He bites his bottom lip to balance the aching pleasure he feels with the swipe of his wet palm and breathes as he holds himself steady for Harry to sink down on. 

It takes Harry a little bit longer to get himself situated, still sensitive from his first orgasm only 10 minutes ago, but he perseveres. He closes his eyes and fists the sheets beside Louis’ head. Louis breathes and just watches Harry’s face and all the focus there. 

Fuck, he loves him so much. Can’t believe he gets to spend the rest of his life with this gorgeous man. 

Well… hopefully, anyway. No one’s asked any questions yet, so no one’s given any answers but… Louis’ pretty sure. 

Harry steadies himself with a deep breath when Louis’ cock is in him enough so it’s not in danger of slipping out. He lowers an unsteady hand to the other side of Louis’ head as he starts to rock back and forth. 

Louis gently pulls Harry down to him, and Harry widens his legs so he slides down closer, pushing Louis’ cock deeper into his body. “ _Yeah,_ ” Harry whines and then kisses Louis sloppily. 

As he moves, Louis feels Harry’s cock bounce between them and Louis can’t help but body roll up into him, working himself deeper as Harry rotates his hips and continues rocking. 

Harry’s slower than Louis is when he rides, but it’s nice. Louis knows Harry needs it this way, needs to keep Louis close when it’s like this because he’s so overwhelmed by the feeling, even though they’ve done it so many times by now. Louis still gets a little emotional when he thinks about how he’s the only one that’s ever been inside Harry like this. It sends chills down his spine now, so he shivers. 

Harry’s panting against Louis’ mouth now, not really able to kiss. His hands move to thread into Louis’ hair and clutch at it between his fingers as he works himself down a little more harshly. 

“Gonna come for me?” Louis asks, mouthing over the side of Harry’s jaw. Harry drops his head down beside Louis’, lowering himself completely down onto his body so that he’s only really able to grind down now, which works wonders when Louis grinds up into him, too. 

“So good,” Harry slurs, starting to rut himself further to create friction for his cock on Louis’ belly. 

Louis feels himself get closer. “Can I?” he asks. 

Harry nods frantically into Louis’ neck, giving a little kiss just below his jaw. 

Louis throws his head back, grabs at Harry’s hips and gets leverage with his legs on the bed to thrust up into him as slowly and as deeply as he can. Harry gasps and rolls his hips a little more to stimulate himself like that, make sure his prostate gets rubbed the right way, while Louis creates all the friction inside. 

“Close?” Harry asks him. 

Louis can’t even speak so he nods, thrusting into the gorgeous heat, so wet and slick above him. He can’t help but think again, how much he wants to keep doing this as often as he can forever and ever. 

After another few seconds, Harry lets out a long, high-pitched whine and then gasps, clenching around Louis’ length inside of him as he starts to come, Louis feels the wetness between them as he does. It pulls Louis over the edge with him, falling into bliss, clutching at Harry’s hips as Harry keeps his death grip on Louis’ hair, giving one deeply dirty lick up the side of his face as he comes. 

Louis laughs at it when their heart-rates start to settle down. 

“I know how often you tell me I look delicious, but do I have to remind you I’m not edible?”

Harry hums and licks the side of his face again and then giggles. “Dunno. Taste good, are you sure?”

Louis just kisses the side of Harry’s head in answer before Harry slowly lifts himself on shaky arms so Louis’ cock can slip out of him. Louis watches as a bit of come leaks down his thighs. He looks down and smiles. “My come on you, your come on me. We’re great at sharing, aren’t we?”

Harry laughs and flops himself down on the bed, pushing his long, sweaty hair off of his face. “What’s mine is yours, hm?” And then he laughs. 

Louis smiles and turns to look at Harry, who’s closed his eyes and is licking his lips, giant grin on his face. 

“Yeah,” Louis says, and he can’t help but roll over and start snogging him again. They’ll make it back to the shower eventually.

***

Going on a trip isn’t like what it used to be for Louis. In the past, he’d book a flight or a car, pack a bag and head out on the day to his destination. 

Now, it’s a whole ordeal. They’ve got to let Paul know they’re planning something, so he can coordinate with his team, to make sure no one else that needs a security detail is also planning a trip at that time. If they need to book a flight, it’s passing along the information so their travel advisor can secure the private jet. If there are potential threats, they have to fly during off hours. 

(It’s only something Louis’ done once, the private jet thing, but he kind of can’t wait for it to happen again.) 

Then it’s booking a hotel, which is a dozen different kinds of nightmares. The first time Louis asked why he couldn’t just pick one resulted in an hours-long lecture from Paul and Anne, while Harry looked on, absentmindedly playing with Louis’ hair while he got scolded for even suggesting it. 

Being able to drive somewhere is better, but only marginally so. They’ve still got to have at least three cars for a long journey (one in front and one behind the car Harry’s in) and if another car is on a quiet road, they immediately have to analyze the situation to make changes to their route if a threat seems likely. 

It never seems likely to Louis, but it often seems likely to Paul. 

Louis remembers Harry’s face when Paul told them what time they’d have to leave for this visit. 

“5am?” Harry gasped, distraught. “It’s only four hours away, why on earth would we need to leave so early for a nighttime function?”

Paul just looked at him with a stern set to his mouth. “For both your and Mr. Tomlinson’s safety, Your Highness. It’s a Saturday and we’re expecting high traffic late morning into the afternoon, and if we want to get you there on time, it’ll need to be early morning.”

Harry had looked at Louis, dismayed. “And how important is it that we go to Niall’s party?”

Louis took a moment to think about it, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from grinning, before settling on, “Very important. He’s being promoted to Senior Partner, which is a really big deal. And we weren’t able to go up and see him, since my family came down south for Christmas and then we were away, so I think he misses us. Sorry.”

Harry shook his head. “No, no, I’m sorry, you’re right. God, it’s just early.”

“Well,” Louis said on a shrug, “if we leave at that time, that puts us getting in around 10am if we take all of Paul’s unnecessary stops for hyper-vigilance into account—” Paul tutted in protest “—and then we can check into the hotel and have a nice lunch. We might even be able to sort of recreate our first day together. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

And with that, Harry’s whole demeanor changed. He sat up straighter and smiled at Louis. “Yeah, alright,” he agreed easily. Louis just shook his head and rolled his eyes. The boy is so easy once he can make it about romance. 

They’re in the car now, on the last length of their journey, with Harry asleep in his lap. Louis’ carding through his hair with his fingers like he has been for at least the last half hour. It’s just so soft and Harry looks so peaceful. And it’s only a short nap so he’s not snoring like he normally does, just little puffs of air out of his mouth and nose as he dozes.

Louis’ still getting used to feeling this way. It’s been a year, sure, but he’s had to work through a lot in that time. The feelings of betrayal, even if just in his head, felt so real. And the fear that Harry would just leave or kick him out after a few weeks or months, struck him hard. 

Harry’s been wonderful through it all. They’ve been so up front with how they’re each feeling on every step of their relationship so far. At times, it’s felt too good to be true but… but it’s just so right. They complement each other like nothing else and just understand each other on a deeper level. It’s just… it’s them, in this together, so right for each other. 

Louis smiles to himself, looking down at Harry, looking more beautiful than each day before. 

Love has turned him _so_ sappy. He smiles at that, too. 

They arrive at the hotel and a somewhat grumpy Harry tries to tell Louis he doesn’t need a nap, but Louis pushes, knowing Harry will be glad for it later when they’re up ‘til who-knows-what hour. Louis has partied with Niall too many times to know that when the event ends at 10pm, it’s only the beginning of the night. Louis tells Harry this adamantly, and he finally relents and they sleep for a couple of hours wrapped in each other's arms. 

It’s just shy of noon when the car pulls up to the coffee shop. Paul tells them to hold on for a few minutes while his plain-clothes team goes inside to make sure it’s safe and spread themselves out at different tables to keep the area secure.

Boy, had that been a fight. Harry insisted that they not draw any attention to themselves, and that meant Paul couldn’t stand guard in the corner beside them as they had their drinks. When the insisting hadn’t worked like he wanted, Harry begged. And it’s been proven that very few people can stand up against Harry’s charm, even Paul, who eventually caved and agreed. 

They’re given the okay to get out of the car, and Louis once again shakes his head at what Harry’s decided to wear. He’s in a pair of black jeans, Chelsea boots and a light grey t-shirt. He’s also got his hair in a quiff and a big pair of sunglasses on. 

“Stop laughing at me,” Harry says, for at least the fourth time. 

Louis laughs at him again. “You just don’t look like yourself, Love, I’m sorry. It’s funny!”

“We’re wearing practically the same thing!”

Louis looks down at himself. He’s also got on black jeans and a grey top, but added a blazer on top for a little flare. Harry’s the one who was trying to go incognito with the laid-back look. 

“Yeah, and I pull off casual better than you. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

Harry shakes his head and pulls Louis along into the cafe. When they get up to the counter, Harry takes off his sunnies and smiles charmingly at the barista. “Hi, how are you today?”

She seems a little taken aback, but says, “Well, thanks. How’re you? What can I get you?”

“I’m great, thank you. I’ll have a medium black coffee with one raw sugar, and also a medium Yorkshire tea with just a splash of milk, please.” The barista types it into the POS, nodding along. “Also, could you write ‘Darling’ on the tea cup and ‘Love’ on the coffee cup?”

She looks up, obviously confused, but doesn’t ask about it and just nods at him. 

“Thanks so much,” he says, then turns and smiles at Louis with all his teeth, so proud of himself. Louis just rolls his eyes, pats his arm twice, and leaves him to find a table to sit down at. 

The cafe is busy but not packed, so Louis snags a table pretty easily, and Harry joins him just a minute later, putting his cup down in front of them with slightly furrowed brows. 

“What’s wrong?” Louis asks. 

“Ah, it’s nothing. They didn’t write them like names, it’s just a word.”

Louis looks down and spins his cup to see the ‘darling’ written there. “Oh,” Louis says. “Technically she’s right.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Louis chuckles a little and takes a sip of his tea. “It’s still a very sweet gesture, thank you.”

Harry nods and settles himself down in the seat. He puts both hands around his cup and looks over at Louis. “Was just trying to recreate that little bit of that day, you know?”

He feels his eyes crinkle. He reaches his arm across the table to give Harry’s forearm a quick squeeze. “You have, Love, I promise, this is so sweet, thank you.”

Harry smiles back and says, “Did I ever tell you that I thought you were my security detail at first?”

Louis lets out a disbelieving laugh and says, “No. How’d you think that?”

“Well, Paul had left me, just before I came in here, and said that he was going to check out the security at the club I’d be going to later on.” Harry pauses briefly and then extends his unoccupied hand out to hold Louis’ quickly before pulling back. Louis feels his heart-rate pick up, but it settles down just as quick. There’s no pain there, anymore, but Louis’ body remembers when there was. 

“Anyway,” Harry continues, “Mitch was just in the hotel up the road, and Paul’d said to call him if I wanted to leave so he could come with the car. But when you came and asked to sit down, I thought he didn’t trust me to do that, and that you were a new member of the security team.”

“Yeah? When did you figure out I wasn’t?”

“When you asked me to watch your things and went to the loo. If you had been security, you wouldn’t have left me alone. And definitely not with your mobile and laptop. That’s, uh, that’s why I checked the text that came up. Thought it was going to be Paul.”

“Huh,” Louis says before taking a sip of his tea. “But then it was Niall, who you thought was my boyfriend.”

“Well, what was I supposed to think? I didn’t know you were working on a press release for _Darling Dental_.”

They grin at each other like fools. Such fools. 

They talk a little bit about what they’ve each got planned over the next week or so. Meetings for the both of them, but wildly different topics given the nature of their jobs. 

Sometimes it still feels weird to Louis to know his job is planning fundraisers and events, calling donors and negotiating deals, looking after the house for the foster kids who are there at any given moment. It’s hard work, but it’s genuinely his favourite parts of his PR work with the best parts of what he’s good at. And he gets to be a part of a cause that helps people. A dream job. 

Harry’s got some big things to research this week and discuss with Gemma. They’ve accomplished a lot of really great things over the last year, but it feels like an especially important time right now, so Harry’s been keen on making sure they’re armed with all the info they can be. 

After about an hour, both of their drinks gone ages ago, Harry kicks Louis’ foot softly under the table and asks, “Do y’think the Indian place is still there?”

Louis shrugs and says, “Only one way to find out.”

Unfortunately, Paul doesn’t feel comfortable letting them walk there, so they get in the car and drive the kilometer up the street only to find a Thai restaurant in its place. 

“Could give it a shot,” Louis offers.

Harry shakes his head, little pout set on his mouth. “Yeah, alright.”

They’re seated quickly and in a corner of the restaurant, but Paul insists on sitting close by them this time and having another security detail on the other side of them. 

There is no buffet, which Harry is clearly disappointed about, and then the curries also aren’t as spicy as they expected, which he’s even more disappointed by. He keeps looking over at Louis with a sad face. Louis tries to school his features so it doesn’t look like he’s laughing at him. 

“Harry, it’s fine,” he says. “I didn’t expect that we’d have the exact same day, did you?”

“No,” Harry says, sulking just a little.

Louis does laugh a little at him then, but it seems to perk Harry up a bit. They spend longer than they normally would at the restaurant, only because it’s midafternoon and not terribly busy. They order mango lassi and play footsie under the table, smiling shyly at each other as they throw jokes back and forth. For a bit it really does feel like this could be a first date. Not their first date, but maybe the first date they would have had, if things had been different. 

Then again, if things had been different, they probably wouldn’t have what they have now. 

They are making their way out of the restaurant as Louis says, “Where to next, Haz? Doubt we’ll find a magic show performed by children on the street.”

Harry shakes his head and sighs. “And we can’t go on a tour bus.”

“No,” Louis agrees. He throws a thumb over his shoulder as they reach the sidewalk. “And it doesn’t seem like Paul will let us take a walk more than 3 meters on our own.” 

“It’s for your safety,” Paul answers. “If you’d like to take a walk, I can have two members of my team in front and four behind.”

The team is dressed in jeans and hoodies today, but 6 of them surrounding Louis and Harry doesn’t really scream _casual walk down the road_. 

“No, that’s quite alright,” Louis answers for both of them, pulling open the car door for Harry. Harry sighs again and shuffles in. Louis looks at him with a small, sympathetic smile once they’re settled in their seats side-by-side. He asks, “Do you want to just call it and go back to the hotel?” 

Harry sighs but then seems to shake himself out of it and looks determinedly at Paul as he asks, “What will it take to get me and Lou inside Le Macaron without all of you there?”

Louis is a bit taken aback by his boyfriend’s determination, but simply looks over at Paul and waits.

Paul pulls his lips into a thin line, but doesn’t say no immediately, which is surprise enough to have Harry sit up a little straighter as he waits.

“Sweep of the building, including any stairways in and around the shop. Two from my team stationed outside the front and three in back. If there’s anyone else inside, I _will_ need to be inside with you both.”

Harry nods at that and looks pleased. Paul nods back and turns to give the driver directions.

“We are not shutting down a bakery to get a macaron, Harold.”

“Paul didn’t say anything about shutting it down,” Harry says easily, pulling out his mobile. 

“What’re you doing?”

“Hush,” Harry says to him, placing a hand on Louis’ knee as he talks into the speaker. “Hi there, I was hoping to come by quickly just now, is it very busy? Mhm. No one? Great! We’ll be by shortly, thank you.”

He hangs up and smiles at Louis smugly, like he actually has something be smug about. 

“Alright, alright, put that face away, you.”

Harry takes that to mean _bury his face in Louis’ neck_ and they’re a giggling mess by the time they get to Le Macaron. The giggling quickly turns to snogging with Paul out of the car and they both look slightly disheveled by the time there’s a knock on the window to say they’ve got the all-clear. They fix their clothes and hair, and Harry steals another cheeky kiss before he opens the door. Louis shakes his head and feels his cheeks flush. 

When they get inside, the shop is empty, so Paul waits outside, back against the clear door. The boy behind the counter looks a little caught off guard, clearly not totally knowing what to expect after being surrounded by security personnel. Harry grabs Louis’ hand and pulls him in towards the counter. 

“Um, hi,” the boy says softly, looking between the two of them. “What can I get you?”

Harry turns to Louis with the biggest grin on his face. “Darling, what flavour would you like?”

Louis looks up at him, feeling fond as anything as he smiles, understanding that Harry’s trying to recreate this bit as exactly as he can. “I’m not sure,” he says. 

They turn back to the boy who’s still looking at them, shifting awkwardly on his feet. 

“What do you recommend?” Louis asks. 

“Oh, uh,” the boy says, and then he looks down at the case, like he’s reminding himself of what they have. “Well… I’m a fan of the Nutella one. Or the salted caramel. But… uh, the vanilla? Is also good?” he offers. 

Both Harry and Louis make noncommittal noises and shrug. Louis looks down at the case in front of him to read the other flavours. 

“My sister always recommends the pistachio, or the lavender,” the boy tries again. 

“Ooo, lavender!” Harry says excitedly. He turns to Louis as he changes from holding hands to draping an arm around his shoulders. “I’ll _definitely_ have one of those. How about you, Darling?”

Louis just rolls his eyes. 

The boy shifts awkwardly again and says. “I can grab the lavender one first.” He’s turned around before he’s even done talking.

Once he’s turned, Harry leans into Louis and drops his voice low to whisper right against his ear, “What’s your favourite flavour?”

Louis turns his head to whisper back, “I don’t think they sell _Harry’s cock_ as a macaron.”

It causes Harry to absolutely lose it, doubling over in laughter and lightly shoving at Louis’ side. “You dickhead,” he says on an exhale. “I was trying to be romantic.”

“No,” Louis counters, “you were trying to work me up in front of the macarons, and I won’t have it.”

Harry just beams at him and brings both his arms around to hug Louis close to his chest. “I love you so much.”

Louis loops his arms around Harry’s neck and says, “I love you so much, too.”

“Erm,” the boy says, red cheeked and trying not to look at their obvious, gooey display of affection. “Have you decided?” he asks. 

Louis says, “Yes, do you have a strawberry one?”

The boy nods. 

“One of those, please.”

“And a dozen assorted ones,” Harry adds. He looks at Louis and says, “For the team, they deserve a treat, too.”

Louis turns to the boy and adds, “And two pistachio in a separate bag, thank you!” 

Harry gives him a look that’s a question. 

“For Paul,” Louis answers. “To bribe him into letting us walk to the little bus museum. Hopefully.”

Harry grins from ear to ear, slips his hands over Louis’ shirt but under his blazer and hugs his waist tighter into him as they start to sway from side to side. Louis panics for a moment that Harry’ll feel what's in his pockets, but calms a bit when Harry pulls his hands away to say, “It’s a Saturday. They might not be open this late.”

Louis shrugs. “Doesn’t matter, we don’t need to go inside or anything. Just want to be around there with you again.”

Harry’s already nodding before Louis finishes speaking, leaning down to kiss him, like they’re just here and in love like anyone else. But they’re not, Louis thinks. They’re not like anyone else, and it’s the best because they’re them. 

Paul is stubborn and doesn’t yield for several minutes, but he cracks a little when both Harry _and_ Louis pull out the puppy-dog eyes and Louis gushes that they got macarons especially for him. He caves when Louis suggests two of the security go ahead now to be in front of them and one could walk twenty paces behind them. 

“Ten,” Paul counters.

“Fifteen,” Louis offers. 

Paul takes a nibble of a macaron, and Louis catches the hint of a smile. Success. 

Louis sends him a wink, holding the little bag of macarons with one hand and grabs Harry’s hand with the other, determined to start walking before anyone can suggest a different plan. 

They walk slowly up the road. There’s only one other person out walking their dog across the street, but otherwise they’re alone. 

“Remember when you were so excited to go to this little museum?”

Harry looks over at him and squeezes his hand. “I remember wanting to spend every second I could with you.”

“Psh, you absolutely lit up when the girl brought up the museum, it had nothing to do with me.”

“I did love the museum,” Harry says, “but I already loved you more.”

Louis shakes his head. “Ah, now, Harold, you can’t fool me. I know buses are your one true love.”

Harry slows down and pulls on Louis so they’re facing each other before letting go to cup Louis’ face with his hands. Louis rolls his eyes but giggles and just lets it happen. 

“Yes, _buses_ ,” Harry starts, and then stops to place a very gentle kiss on Louis’ lips. Louis can’t help but close his eyes and bring his hands to settle on Harry’s wrists. “My one true love,” he finishes.

Louis opens his eyes and sighs dreamily before he can stop himself. 

“Yeah,” he says, when he’s gathered his wits again, “yeah, mine too.”

They continue on and meet up with the two members of the security team who are standing attentive at the front door of the museum. The door is open and workers in tan uniforms are carrying tall, round tables in from a large white truck stationed outside. 

“What’s going on here then?” Louis asks one of the security team. 

“A retirement party for the chief of transportation,” she says. “The museum closed early so they could set up. They said it’s meant to start in a couple of hours.”

“Ah,” Louis says, nodding. “Guess we _definitely_ won’t be able to have a look around then.”

Then he turns to Harry, who’s smiling mischievously at him. “C’mon,” he says and pulls Louis into the museum behind him. Louis is surprised but lets himself be pulled. 

Just inside, there is an older woman who has brown hair streaked with grey and a man with a cleft chin, talking and looking over a computer at a table. 

Harry walks right up to them. 

“Hello,” he says, smiling that disarmingly charming smile. “How are you both today?”

“Um,” the woman says, looking between the two of them, “well, thank you, and you?”

“Very well, thank you. And you sir?”

“Yes, I’m well, thank you.” The man is looking over Harry’s shoulder, undoubtedly at their pack of security.

“Wonderful,” Harry says, still smiling. He looks at Louis for a brief moment before turning back to the two of them. “I was hoping you both could help me with something.”

“Okay,” the man says hesitantly, eyes flickering back to Harry, brows furrowed, hand going to adjust the collar of his own button-down shirt. 

“My name is Harry and this is Louis, my boyfriend,” he says, and brings their intertwined hands up to show them. They both look at the hands and then at Louis, who smiles and shrugs, impossibly endeared with whatever it is Harry’s doing. Harry brings their hands back down and continues, “We fell in love in this museum almost 6 years ago.”

“Oh,” the woman says, smiling now. “Oh, that’s lovely. Here?”

“Yes,” Harry says emphatically. “And we’ve heard there’s a retirement party tonight, but I was really hoping that we’d be able to hang around for a while before it started.”

“Oh, I’m not sure—” the man starts. 

Harry interrupts, “I’d be very happy to make a generous donation, in thanks and because of the wonderful memory it holds for us.”

They’re all silent for a moment, as the older woman and man look at each other and then at Louis for a long beat before turning back to Harry. 

“Erm, yes, alright,” the woman says. 

“Wonderful, thank you so much. Paul?” Harry calls out, and Paul comes up behind them. “Would you mind asking this lovely woman the best way to donate?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Paul says. Neither the woman or man look shocked but they look at each other again. 

Harry’s already moving further into the museum as he shouts over his shoulder, “Thanks!” 

There are tables set up in and around the buses, making the whole room feel smaller than it did since the last time Louis was here. Or maybe that’s mostly because so much has changed since then. His heart feels very warm as he looks up and thinks back to that day. 

“Wow,” Harry whispers.

There are workers moving around and setting things up, glancing over at the two of them with curious expressions. It looks like more than half of them recognize Harry, which makes sense. Another thing that’s changed from 6 years ago. 

Harry leans over to whisper in his ear. “I really want to kiss you right now, but I’m not so keen on the audience.”

Louis hums and nods. “Up we go?” he asks, eyes on the green and cream colored bus just a few meters away from them. 

“Up we go,” Harry answers. They get on and he gestures for Louis to go first up the steps to the top level. 

“I’ll be cross if you touch me bum,” Louis warns, not meaning it at all. 

“Museums are for looking not touching, I remember, Lou.”

“Good,” Louis says, starting up the steps. “Didn’t want to have that conversation again.”

_“‘We look at art with our eyes, not with our hands’,”_ Harry recites. They reach the top and laugh together. 

“Hope you enjoyed the art,” Louis whispers to him.

“Always,” Harry says, placing a kiss on the top of his head. 

They spend two full minutes arguing about which were the exact seats they sat in last time, and compromise by deciding they’ll switch in a little bit so they can “both be right”, which is absurd because Louis is definitely right. He would always remember exactly where he was when a gorgeous, dimpled boy jumped into his lap. 

The seats are newer than Louis remembers. He thinks they must have been redone recently, which makes Louis happy to realize the museum at least has enough donations for upkeeps as they need them. They’ll have a whole chunk of extra pocket change from the event and now that Harry’s gone and decided to donate as well. 

Once they’re settled across from each other, Louis offers Harry’s macaron to him and starts on his own. They eat in comfortable silence, looking at each other and giggling every so often. Louis pops the last bite in his mouth and watches Harry do the same and decides that, yeah, it’s time. 

“This is where we started, huh?” Louis asks.

Harry grins and looks down at his lap. “Yeah.”

Louis nods and hums, looking around the bus. “There were quite a few misunderstandings back then. Things we didn’t know.”

Harry gives a wry sort of grimace. “There were.” 

Louis hums too and says, “It’s why I wanted to be here for this, to make sure there aren’t any misunderstandings this time.”

“For this?” Harry asks, looking up at him, confused. 

Louis keeps his face neutral and tries not to give anything away. He’s zeroed in and analysing Harry’s face, feeling lighter than he’s ever felt as his heart beats wildly in his chest. 

“I was drawn to you immediately, in that cafe, you know? You were the person just in front of me in line, and I’m pretty sure I saw you before you saw me. I know you said you thought I was a member of your security, at first, but I thought you were the most beautiful boy I’d ever laid eyes on.” 

“Louis,” Harry says fondly.

“And you already know this,” Louis continues, “but I started to fall for you not even two hours after that, at lunch, before you had your heart set on dragging me up and down this city under the guise of sightseeing. Sightseeing in Manchester? Please,” he jokes. Harry laughs. 

“You were absolutely besotted with the idea of this little museum and I knew after the macaron shop, that from that moment forward it would go against everything in me to say no to you. So there we were, eating macarons and learning about each other and falling in love. Nothing’s really changed, has it?”

Harry’s eyes well up, and Louis feels a lump catch in his throat. He clears it and continues. 

Softly, he says, “I fell so hard for you that day, Harry. Fell absolutely, madly, insanely in love with a dimpled, curly-haired boy who had this air of mystery about him that I couldn’t place. Who listened to me with every ounce of him, who understood me in a way that I’d never felt understood before, and never have since.”

Louis takes a deep breath and scoots forward in his seat, reaching into his right-side jacket pocket. He pulls out a little toy bus, green and cream colored, faded in patches from where it’s been held onto it so tightly. He leans over and places it sideways towards the edge of Harry’s seat between his outstretched legs. 

“Lou,” Harry says, a little more confused. 

“I was scared back then, of what I felt,” Louis continues, “because I didn’t think someone as amazing as you could ever feel the same. But I know now, Harry, I do, that we’re meant for each other.”

He reaches into his left-side jacket pocket and pulls out another green and cream colored bus (Harry’s one) and places it down so it faces the other toy bus. 

“I know that every fiber of my being was created with yours to match. That for every way we’re different, there’s a dozen more important ways we’re the same.”

“Lou,” Harry breathes out. He’s got his hands on his knees and he’s leaning forward a little, like he doesn’t know if he should get up. Like it might disturb something if he moves. 

“You’ve taught me a lot, Harry. You’ve taught me how to be brave in the face of love. How not to hide it behind other things because the fear of it does nothing but hold us back. I don’t want to hold us back any more. I want us to move forward, together —always together— for the rest of our lives.” 

Louis watches as a few tears slip down Harry’s smiling face. He feels a couple fall down his cheeks as well. 

“Harry Edward Styles,” Louis says with a watery laugh. “You’ve shown me how to be brave for love. Will you show me again, now, by answering the most important question I’ll ever ask you?”

Harry’s nodding and scooching forward, like he can hardly wait to give an answer.

Louis breathes in and then breathes out to ask, “Will you marry me?”

Harry’s nodding as he lets out a sob, pushing himself quickly up off the seat, knocking over the toy buses and practically catapulting himself onto Louis’ lap, kissing him wildly. 

“Yes, Lou, oh my god, yes, always yes. With you the answer is always yes.”

Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s waist. “Is that a—”

“Louis William Tomlinson don’t you dare,” Harry says, laughing and crying and still kissing all over Louis’ face. They laugh and kiss and hold each other tight, and even with Harry’s knee pressed uncomfortably against his hip, Louis’ never felt happier. Never, ever felt happier. 

“Ah, fuck, I fucked it up,” Louis says, and he pulls back a little to reach into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulls out a little black box. 

Harry looks at it and then at him, shocked as anything. “Is that a ring?” he asks. 

“No, it’s a hot air balloon.” He pauses, then laughs. _“Of course_ it’s a ring, I did just ask you to marry me.”

Harry starts tearing up again and begs Louis to open it. 

“It might look a little plain,” Louis says as he pulls out the silver band, “but I did have it inscribed.”

Picking it up gingerly with his pointer finger and thumb, Harry turns the ring with his fingers to read what’s written on the inside. 

_Love, Darling_

“Lou,” Harry cries.

“You gonna put it on?”

Harry nods, crying, and slips it on his left hand ring finger, grinning down at it. It makes Louis start crying again, too. 

“I love you, Harry,” Louis says. “I love you so so much.”

Harry flings himself down into Louis’ arms again, pushing him back down on the seat. They lay like that for a while, carding their fingers through each other’s hair and giggling. 

“I didn’t think you were ready,” Harry says quietly. He kisses the middle of Louis’ chest and rubs his cheek against the soft t-shirt material there. “S’why I was surprised about the ring. We’ve been really open and I know things are good. Great. _Wonderful._ But I didn’t think you’d be ready for this step yet. I’m so, _so_ incredibly happy, though.”

Louis rubs a hand up and down Harry’s back, lightly scratching through the shirt. Harry sighs against his chest. “Should I have waited until we talked about it?” Louis asks, genuinely curious. 

Harry shakes his head and laughs, turning his head to kiss Louis’ chest again and again. “Not at all. We’re ready. This was perfect. Just wish I’d been prepared enough to ask you, too.”

Louis smiles and squeezes Harry close to him. “You can still ask me whenever you want.”

“Really?”

Louis nods and says, “And I’ll say yes.”

Harry tuts. “Well, now it won’t be a surprise.”

They laugh together and snog for ages. 

The museum gets quiet after a while, and starts to get loud again with the sounds of people. 

“Must be the retirement party arriving,” Harry says. Louis smiles and kisses the top of his head. “Should we go?”

Louis shrugs. “Let's wait until they kick us out, yeah? Maybe they’ll even forget we’re here and we can crash a party.”

Harry laughs. “I love that plan,” he says. “But to be fair, I love anything that involves you.”

“Yeah,” Louis says. “Me too.”

Not two minutes later, someone from below clears their throat, and then Paul’s voice is calling up to them. “Your Highness, Mr. Tomlinson,” he says, “it’s 6pm.”

“All a-go, Paul,” Louis calls back. 

Harry sighs. “Was fun while it lasted.” He kisses Louis’ chest once more before pulling himself up. “We’re probably going to be late for Niall’s party. You better change quickly when we get back to the hotel because I’m going to need to go down on you.” Louis chuckles. “And Lou, I’m going to suck you off so hard you’ll be too dazed to focus properly after.”

Louis squacks as he sits up, taken aback. “Your Highness, that is no talk for a prince.”

“Well, a married prince is a duke. Is it better talk for a duke?”

Louis shakes his head and says, “Don’t forget the buses, Love.”

Harry leans down to grab them and slides them into one of Louis’ pockets. “You’ll also be a duke when we get married,” Harry says. He stops and just looks at Louis, beaming. “We’re getting married,” he says softly, almost like he can’t believe it. 

Looking up into those beautiful green eyes, Louis nods and says, “We’re getting married.”

“Hey Paul,” Harry sing-songs as he starts walking down the stairs. “We’ve got some exciting news!”

“I bet we can guess,” Niall’s voice sing-songs back to them. 

Harry’s eyebrows pull together in confusion as he hits the bottom step, and then they shoot up to his hairline when they’re faced with Niall, Paul, and all of their friends and family. 

“Congratulations!” everyone shouts. Harry blinks, looking over at Louis in a daze. 

“I maybe should have let you help with planning our engagement party,” he says on a shrug, reaching for his hand, “but I thought you deserved to be surprised for once.”

Harry fish-mouths at him. 

“But Niall’s party?” Harry asks in a whisper, pointing vaguely in Niall’s direction. 

Louis shakes his head. “Niall was promoted, but it was just an excuse to throw you off, in case you suspected I was planning something.” And then, quieter, as everyone starts walking towards them, Louis asks, “Is this okay?”

Squeezing his hand, Harry looks down to Louis’ mouth before crashing their lips together. He pulls back quickly and just enough to say, “I love you, love you so much.”

“Alright, the two of ya, knock it off,” Niall says. Then he cackles loudly when Louis flips him the bird, laughter rising around them. 

“Hmph,” Louis hums against Harry’s mouth, grinning some more and closing his eyes to ignore the lot of them and kiss his boyfriend back. 

_Fiancé,_ Louis corrects himself. _His fiancé._

**Author's Note:**

> This epilogue/fic has been posted as a part of a fundraiser for [Brave Space Alliance](https://www.bravespacealliance.org/) \- a black-led, trans-led organization on the South Side of Chicago. They're a great org., and are always in need of support. If you're able, please consider donating to BSA or an trans-led/centered group in/near your community!  
> [The original epilogue fundraiser post.](https://absoloutenonsense.tumblr.com/post/621828299932450816)
> 
>   
> Thank you so much for reading! Every comment I've gotten on NBYOMM has made me so wildly happy. I'm grateful that y'all took the time to read that fic and tell me how much you liked it.  
> I hope you enjoyed reading this! If you did, please consider leaving kudos and/or a comment! They're my lifeblood! (That's maybe a touch dramatic, but they do make me happy and want to write more.)
> 
> [I'm on Tumblr as absoloutenonsense](https://absoloutenonsense.tumblr.com/) if you'd like to come tell me what you thought!


End file.
